A simple small white cross provided by the Redlands RSL has found its way to the grave of an Australian soldier in a far flung corner of the world Beersheeba in southern Israel.
Sergeant Thomas William Mountain, a veteran of the Gallipoli campaign, died in action at the battle of Tel Khuweilfeh on November 3, 1917, and is buried in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Beersheeba, then known as Palestine.
His two great nephews, brothers Roy Freak, of Westleigh, Sydney, and Jeff Freak, of Cleveland, both born and raised in Glen Innes NSW, realised a long held ambition to visit the gravesite of their great "Uncle Tom".
Tom Mountain was born in 1890 at "Mountain View", five kilometres west of Glen Innes.
He was the eldest of eight children to Tom and Amy Mountain and most were born and raised in Glen Innes, but moved on fulfilling their lives elsewhere.
Tom Mountain joined the AIF in 1914 at the start of World War I, and being an excellent horseman was assigned to the Australian First Light Horse Regiment.
His unit was sent to Egypt for training and acclimatisation before joining the Gallipoli campaign in May, 1915, about two weeks after the initial invasion.
The regiment was withdrawn from Gallipoli later that year for redeployment to Palestine to help the allies drive the Turkish occupiers out of the Middle East.
The Australian First Light Horse was held in reserve during the famous charge of the Australian Fourth Light Horse Brigade against Turkish positions at the wells of Beersheeba on October 31, 1917.
So successful was that charge, the First regiment was not needed.
A painting of that charge is hanging in the Redlands RSL in Cleveland.
Tom Mountain was among six Australian Light Horsemen who lost their lives three days later at Tel Khuweilfeh.
All six are buried side by side with other soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain in the Beersheeba War Cemetery.
The war cemetery was established on the outskirts of Beersheeba, but with the growth of this vibrant Israeli city over the years, it is surrounded by high rise buildings, shopping precincts and parks.
The simple white metal cross from the Redlands RSL carried messages from the family and was placed near the headstone of this long lost soldier.
Roy and Jeff planned their visit and made arrangements early last year, but three weeks before their departure, conflict erupted between the Hamas lead Palestinians in Gaza and Israel.
Beersheeba, which is located only 40 kilometres from Gaza, with the road to the city passing only 10k from the border, is a prime target of Hamas rocket attacks.
Roy and Jeff, who lodged their travel plans with the Department of Foreign Affairs, which advised exercising caution as the area was classified as a war zone, decided to go ahead with their pilgrimage.
They went separately with Roy and his wife Margaret travelling via Winchester in the UK to visit their daughter and family, while Jeff journeyed via London, with all meeting up on the Sunday at Ben Gurion Airport at Tel Aviv.
They set up base at Jerusalem, but their travel operators bluntly advised on the Monday that the trip to Beersheeba was not on due to the hostilities in that area.
Late on the Monday afternoon, however, both Hamas and Israel agreed on a three-day ceasefire, to begin that night, providing a window of opportunity for the trip to Beersheeba.
The Tuesday was a "wait and see" and with the ceasefire holding, the party made the dash to Beersheeba the next day.
The war cemetery is surrounded by a 1.5m brick rendered fence and is pristinely maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The manicured lawns and gardens are a fitting resting place for these original Anzacs.
Tom Mountain's grave was quickly found and Roy and Jeff held a brief service playing "The Last Post" and "Reveille" and reciting the "Ode to the Fallen".
Along with the white cross the family, poppies and several teaspoons of earth collected from "Mountain View" on the grave.
They signed the cemetery register, recording their visit, then high-tailed it back to Jerusalem, passing many Israeli tanks, armoured personnel carriers and troops, along the way.
While in Israel, they took the opportunity to visit the historical and holy sites in Jerusalem, toured Bethlehem in the Palestinian-held West Bank, travelled to the mountain fortress of Masada and swam in the Dead Sea.
They flew to Elat in southern Israel, crossing the border into Jordan at Aqaba to be immersed in the history of Lawrence of Arabia in the Wadi Rum desert and stories of the Romans and Bedouins in the ancient city of Petra.